Taking no chances on New Year's Day

Fireworks Pastel

I am not superstitious.  If you’ve read my old post about the fear of Friday the 13^th you can see where that got me, so I’m taking no chances when it comes to New Year’s Day.

To avert any bad things happening and bring good luck to your house there are certain things my mother taught me. (And she wasn’t that superstitious either)

1.     You must eat Black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. 

2.     A man has to be the first one to enter the house on the first day of the New Year.

I remember mother recalling how her mother would slam the door on any female who happened to decide to visit on that first day of the year.  No explanation, just a firm slam.  Guess she figured if you are lucky enough to have two X chromosomes you should know this fact.  So I’m not taking any chances.  No visiting anyone today unless they call and tell me that and XY has already come and gone.

Being careful not to tempt fate, I made a male guest go out of the house and come back in again at 12:10 a.m. just to me safe. Now I don’t have to emulate my Grandmother’s inhospitality if a woman shows up unexpectedly.

Secondly, I have black-eyed peas ready to prepare.  I must admit it was pretty difficult to find those elusive beans.  I must not be the only one that is going through the motions, just to be safe. On New Year’s Eve, I rose early to bring back the food related luck and three stores later, I arrived home, triumphant.

A little research reveals that some people believe that during the Civil War Sherman’s troops stole all the crops but left the black-eyed peas believing them to be only fit for livestock.  My Grandmother, however, was a Greek immigrant and knew nothing of the American Civil war.  She always had her black-eyed peas.  Guess she wasn’t taking any chances either. 

HAPPY NEW LUCKY YEAR

J